Garment for bathing.



W..PELTON. GARMENT FOR BATHING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1913.

1,084; 06 Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

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WILLIAM WRIGHT PELTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINGIS.

GARMENT FOR BATHING.

Application filed March 17, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM W. PnLroN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garments for Bathing, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in garments for bathing and has for its object the production of a garment of this character in which will be provided means for buoying up the body of the wearer when immersed in the water as in bathing.

A further object is the production of a garment as mentioned which will be of simple and economical construction, and in which the air pocket may be inflated and defiated with exceptional ease and expedition.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bathing garment embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section thereof.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawing comprises a garment consisting of a, shirt 1 adapted to be worn in the ordinary manner, the upper end of said shirt being provided with the usual arm holes and head opening. Provided upon the front side of the shirt 1 and preferably at the chest portion thereof is a layer 2 of flexible material which is secured at its periphery to the shirt 1 by means of stitching 3. An air pocket is thus formed between the front side or wall of the shirt and the layer 2, the shirt and the layer 2 being formed of a material which will be impervious to air when the same is saturated with water. The mouth lof said pocket is located at the lower end thereof. Said mouth 4- is of restricted width, that is the same is not of a width corresponding with that of the member 2, the stitching 3 securing the lower edge of said member 2 the respective ends thereof or at either side of the mouth 4. This arrangement is adopted Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. l3, 191d.

Serial No. 754,799.

in order to prevent drawing of the lower edge of the member 2 out of position when the pocket is filled. with air.

In using the garment, the same is first saturated with water in order to render the walls of the air pocket of the garment impervious to air, such saturation of the garment being readily effected by immersing the body of the wearer in the water. This being done, the layer 2 is engaged by the fingers and drawn outwardly or away from the adjacent wall of the shirt in order to admit air to the air pocket. When the pocket is thus filled with air the wearer will lower himself in the water to such an extent as to seal the mouth 4:, the air admitted. to.

the pocket being thus imprisoned therein. The buoyancy of the air thus imprisoned will be suflicient to sustain the wearer in the water preventing sinking below the air pocket. The garment will be thus of service in learning to swim since the same will serve in the capacity of a life preserver. Tn leaving the water, the air pocket will deflate itself immediately upon the mouth 4 thereof being elevated above the surface of the water, the layer 2, after deflation of the air pocket, being adapted to assume a position clinging snugly to the adjacent wall of the shirt and thus will be unnoticeable when the bather is out of the water.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. T, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A garment. for bathing comprising a shirt adapted to snugly fit the body of the wearer; and a layer of flexible material secured to said shirt at the chest portion thereof forming an air pocket. said layer being secured to said shirt at its periphery, the mouth of said pocket being at the lower edge of said layer, substantially described.

2. A garment for bathing comprising a shirt adapted to snugly fit the body of the wearer; and a layer of flexible material se In testimony whereof I have signed my cured to said shirt at the chest portlon tlierename to thls specificatlon in the presence of of formlng an an pocket, said layer being two subscribing Witnesses.

secured to said shirt at its periphery, the WILLIAM WRIGHT PELTON. mouth of said pocket being restricted and lVitnesses:

provided at the lower edge of said layer, JOSHUA B. H. PoT'rs,

substantially as described. HELEN F. LILLIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

